Buddy Club

Buddy Club is an opt-in service within Signal Cartel that pairs new Signal Cartel members with more seasoned Signaleers (a Buddy) during their early days of corp membership. Buddies are a friendly point of contact that provide help and guidance as new members adjust to life as a Signaleer in EVE Online.

Purpose

EVE Online has a notoriously steep learning curve. In addition, Signal Cartel plays EVE on Hard Mode because of our strict adherence to The Credo. Buddy Club aims to help new members overcome these barriers to entry and smooth out the learning curve to make becoming a Signaleer easier and more enjoyable. Therefore, Buddy Club benefits all new Signal Cartel members regardless of whether they are completely new to EVE or a veteran pilot of New Eden.

How Can a Buddy Help You?

A Buddy can:

• Introduce you to Signal Cartel's unique corp culture
• Act as friendly point-of-contact to help answer questions
• Offer advice and guidance about exploration and EVE Online
• Provide support and encouragement when needed

How Do I Request a Buddy?

• Please request a Buddy using the Buddy Club Interest Form.
• Instructions on how to request a Buddy were also included in the Welcome EVEmail that new members receive after joining Signal Cartel. If you recently joined us but did not receive any information regarding Buddy Club in your Welcome EVEmail, you are still eligible to request a Buddy!
• New members are assigned Buddies by the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking based on best fit including language and time zone considerations. The initial response to your request will be via EVEmail.

How Long Does Buddy Club Last?

New members are paired with their assigned Buddy for one month. After 30 days, the official pairing ends, but it is hoped that the Buddy Club bond will endure long after.

How Do I Communicate With My Buddy?

• Discord is the preferred communication platform.
• Please be aware and respectful of your Buddy's time and availability for chat.

What Are the Negatives to Participating in Buddy Club?

There are no negatives! By participating in Buddy Club, New Members are not restricted or limited from any corp activities. Buddies are there to help you learn and succeed as a Signaleer. A Buddy is not your superior nor your supervisor.

Buddy Club Roles

New Member

A new member (NM) is a fresh-faced Signaleer ready to explore all that Signal Cartel and New Eden has to offer. Buddy Club exists to serve new members by helping and supporting them during their early days of corp membership by pairing them with an experienced Buddy.

Buddy

A Buddy is an experienced Signaleer who partners for one month with a new member and provides general guidance to the new member.

Every new member assignment is discussed with the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking, and a Buddy is free to accept or reject it. Once the assignment is accepted, the Buddy should get in touch with the new member and introduce themselves. An assignment is limited to one month during which the Buddy should make themselves available during their chosen activity hours for communication with the new member. The Buddy is expected to answer questions and provide advice on Signal Cartel corporate matters and, depending on experience, on EVE Online gameplay. If the requested information is available in Signal Cartel's online resources, like this wiki or on the forums, then the Buddy may provide relevant references.

It is understood that Buddies may not be available at designated time slots due to real life matters. As usual, such matters are given priority over any in-game commitments. Buddies are expected to inform the Manager and their assigned new members of any unavailability, except in emergency situations.

Buddies are also encouraged to participate in our Discord channel #buddy-club, which aims to provide updates, coordinated support, and encouragement for all Buddies.

What Are the Requirements to Become a Buddy?

• C2 membership level
• Six months in Signal Cartel
• A willingness to help our new members
• A positive attitude doesn't hurt either.

How Do I Become a Buddy?

1. Meet (or exceed) the requirements noted above.
2. Contact the Club's Assistant Manager for Membership either through Discord or EVEmail. This is currently Vega Blazar.
3. A sign up sheet will then be sent via Discord to the prospective Buddy requesting the following information:
   • Days of the week and hours in the day when they are available for communication with new members.
   • Time zone.
   • Spoken languages.
   • Maximal number of new members they can support at a time.
4. Still not convinced? Then watch this.

Club Officers

There are three officer roles: Manager, Assistant Manager for Membership and Assistant Manager for Matchmaking. They are elected from the members of the Club for a fixed period of time. Each officer has specific responsibilities but is also expected to be available as a Buddy.

Manager

The Manager is responsible for the Club's overall operation. It is the most important role and enables the continued existence of the Club. The Manager must ensure that the Club members are engaged, seek feedback from both Buddies and their assigned new members, and drive changes that will improve the quality of their Buddy Club experience.

Assistant Manager for Membership

The Assistant Manager for Membership is responsible for recruiting new Buddies. Assistant Manager for Membership should ensure that the number of Buddies available in each popular time zone is adequate to provide quality service to our new corp members. They are also expected to advocate, advertise, and actively recruit new Buddies for the Club.

The Assistant Manager for Membership must maintain an up-to-date list of current members in a shared document.

Assistant Manager for Matchmaking

The Assistant Manager for Matchmaking is responsible for pairing new members with Buddies. After receiving a request for a Buddy, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking will check the roster and find the best candidates based on their availability and spoken language. After obtaining the Buddy's consent to take on the new assignment, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking will inform the new member of their assigned Buddy.

In cases when a Buddy becomes unavailable for an extended period of time, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking is responsible for finding a suitable replacement Buddy.

They must also maintain an up-to-date list of the current New Member-Buddy pairings in a shared document and track the duration of the one-month-assignments.

Roster

Officers

• Manager - Vega Blazar
• Assistant Manager for Membership - Vega Blazar
• Assistant Manager for Matchmaking - Drer Aideron

Current Buddies

As of 12-23-22:

• Henrique Arnolles
• SuperTomy
• ABe Seekeris
• Sir Fiddle Sticks
• Nac Audene
• Roger Larkan
• Mika Dex
• Lexington Braddock
• Siaki Siakira
• Frisk Understair
• Ben Kalkoken
• Thor Miasmic
• Amelia Nightingale
• Bon G0

Buddies Emeriti

• Vladimir Korff (Co-founder of Buddy Club)
• Axar Tiberius
• Jen Hoshi